U.S. Pat. No. 6,173,838 discloses a compact-style child-resistant package having a case of one-piece integrally molded plastic construction. An edge of a blister card, for dispensing medication or the like, is captured in a clamp formed between opposed sections of the one-piece case. A first panel is hinged to a first clamp section and a second panel is hinged to a second clamp section so that the first and/or second panel can be opened to give access to the blister card within the case. The case includes side push tabs and a front release latch between the panels for child-resistant operation. U.S. Pat. No. 6,021,901 discloses a child-resistant compact-style package that has side latches and a front latch for simultaneous activation to open the package. Although the child-resistant compacts disclosed in the noted patents present significant improvements over packages theretofore extant in the art, further improvements remain desirable. A general object of the present disclosure is to provide a child-resistant compact for dispensing product on blister cards having improved strength and rigidity in the opposed panels that form the case of the compact, and/or that provides improved alignment between the panels of the case as the panels are closed.
The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other.
A child-resistant compact for dispensing product on blister cards, in accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, includes a first portion having a first panel hinged to a first clamp for capturing an end of a first blister card, and a second portion having a second panel hinged to a second clamp for capturing an end of a second blister card. The first and second clamps are connected to each other such that the first and second panels form a chamber for enclosing the blister cards. At least one child-resistant latch is on the periphery of the panels for opening one or both panels with respect to the clamps for access to the blister cards. The first and second portions of the compact preferably are of integrally molded plastic construction, either separate from or integrally with each other. The at least one child-resistant latch preferably includes a first latch at an end of the compact opposite from the clamps and second latches on opposite sides of the compact, preferably requiring simultaneous activation to open the compact. The panels preferably include a guide adjacent to the first latch for aligning the panels as the compact is closed to facilitate interengagement of the latch elements on the panels.